1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cabinet to support a display unit. In particular, the invention describes a method and apparatus for a television stand to support a television unit.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the last few years, television sets and the source devices which provide a signal to the television set have become increasingly more complicated. The complexity of television units has further dramatically increased with the introduction of high definition television (HDTV). HD television requires that a television unit handle a wide variety of signals including analog signals such as standard National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) signals broadcast by television networks and provided by source devices such as video cassette recorders (VCRs), laser disk (LD) players and the like. Unlike traditional analog television units, HD television units also handle digital signals output by select broadcasters on selected programs and future digital source devices. In order to house the complex electronics used to handle the increasing variety of data types, new HD television units locate some of the electronics that are housed in the television cabinet in a separate box outside the television unit. Standard television cabinets do not provide convenient storage of such externally located electronics, nor do these cabinets facilitate the connection of these receiving units with conventional sources such as video cassette recorders, LD players, and DVD players.
Traditionally, a television set was placed on top of a cabinet or television stand. The television stand may include a front door that opens to allow insertion of source devices such as DVDs, LD players, and VCRs. In order to reach wiring used to interconnect components such as source devices and the television unit, components often were removed from the television stand by opening the doors and pulling the components out of the front of the television stand. Once removed, connectors such as RCA connectors are connected before returning the components to the cabinet. Such removal and installation of components is inconvenient. Removal and insertion of a component also required cables that are longer than necessary. Longer cables are needed to allow for movement of the components in and out of the front of the cabinet. Extra cable length contributes to cost and also results in deterioration of the signal due to parasitic capacitance and resistances inherent in a longer cable. Longer cables are also susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Thus, an improved method for connecting components which provide a signal to a television unit is needed.
A second disadvantage of traditional display stands is that traditional display stands required four support structures. Typically, the four-support structures or four-support pillars were used to support the four corners of an approximately rectangular surface used to support a television set. One disadvantage of using four load bearing structures is that using four support pillars increases the cost and the materials needed to fabricate the cabinet. A second disadvantage of using four support structures is that a four-support structure configuration typically utilizes an approximately rectangular top surface which does not match the almost triangular top shape of a traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) television unit. A television unit typically has a CRT which increases in size as one moves towards the screen area.
A third disadvantage of traditional television stands is that such stands do not usually accommodate an external HD television receiver or set back box.
Thus, an improved television stand is needed.